Toy Industry Association (TIA) Statement on Responsible Marketing and Communications to Children

October 29, 2013

The Toy Industry Association (TIA) and its members are proud of the important, life-shaping role that toys, games and play have in the development and growth of children. Play promotes active bodies, active minds and healthy lifestyles.

We believe it is appropriate to market and provide information about toys and games to families – from grandparents to kids – as long as that information is provided responsibly. And we believe that communications created with children in mind, while fun and interactive, should also take into account the special vulnerabilities of children. Communications should never be deceptive, unfair or inappropriate for their intended audience.

TIA and its members understand that a parent or primary caregiver knows his or her child best. We believe that most parents and caregivers will agree that they are and should be involved in all aspects of their child’s life, including the child’s television viewing, computer time, mobile app use, and family purchasing decisions.

TIA is committed to promoting best practices in all aspects of marketing and advertising to children and to adhering to all applicable government regulations and requirements, including the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) Rule.

TIA monitors and reviews relevant laws and standards pertaining to responsible marketing and advertising to children, educates its members about these principles, and provides information and resources that help toy companies interact with kids in a responsible way.

TIA is also committed to the advancement of self-regulatory practices in both traditional and online communications, especially as technologies continue to evolve, in order to protect consumers and safeguard the ability of businesses to offer and improve engaging products and content for children. To this end, TIA encourages toy companies to adhere to advertising and marketing self-regulation programs across all applicable channels of communication, and to monitor data protection best practices and identify how they apply to emerging technologies, such as mobile apps.

The Association educates its members about the principles established by organizations such as the Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the International Council of Toy Industries (ICTI). Furthermore, TIA collaborates with CARU to educate both members of the toy industry and consumers on issues pertaining to children’s privacy online, adequate disclosures and the depiction of products in a truthful and accurate fashion.

TIA and its members will continue to empower parents, children and families to make informed choices about the toys and games they bring into their home. The safety and well-being of children is always our top priority.

This statement was originally published in September 2012 and reaffirmed by the Toy Industry Association in October 2013.